Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.
These 10 tracks from artists like Nao, Katy B, Carlie Hanson and Jade Bird will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.
Katy B, “Under My Skin”
As the UK pop star’s first new solo single in five years, “Under My Skin” finds Katy B sounding impressively refreshed, crooning about spoiled romance with renewed energy and subtle grace. P2J, who produced and co-wrote the track, provides Katy B with busy percussion that still emits a sense of loss. -Jason Lipshutz
Magdalena Bay, “Secrets (Your Fire)”
L.A. duo Magdalena Bay presents a ‘90s mainstream revival through an indie-pop lens on their riotous new single “Secrets (Your Fire)” — seriously, listen to the opening squelch and try not to think about Spice Girls’ “Say You’ll Be There.” With their Mercurial World EP out in October, Magdalena Bay keeps getting better ahead of it. –Lipshutz
Johnny Orlando, “Daydream”
TikTok star Johnny Orlando possesses a natural charisma that translates to shimmery dance-pop on “Daydream,” which pushes its breathy come-ons (“It’s pretty cold on the West Coast / But you’d look hot in New York”) toward a feeling of restlessness on the hook, with highly effective results. -Lipshutz
Loyal Lobos, “Hate My Face”
Fans of artists like Soccer Mommy and Snail Mail should crank up “Hate My Face,” the new alt-pop gem from Colombia-born singer-songwriter Loyal Lobos that locates the precise balance between the intimate and anthemic. Huddle closer to the confessional verses, then howl along with the chorus here. -Lipshutz
Carlie Hanson, “Off My Neck”
Since landing on one of Taylor Swift’s curated playlists in 2018, 21-year-old Carlie Hanson has released two EPs and a string of singles. Her latest, “Off My Neck,” is her most crisply realized yet, as the trap beats and handclaps are elevated by a pop-punk melody and moody lyrics. -Lyndsey Havens
Nao, “Wait”
As East London singer-songwriter Nao readies her upcmoing third album, And Then Life Was Beautiful, she’s thrown curveballs with each preceding single. “Wait” arrives as her most stunning one so far, opening with her distinct high-note vocals that expand throughout becoming sturdier, as a string section later joins a piano riff. -Havens
Jade Bird, “Candidate”
For Jade Bird’s second album, Different Kinds of Light, she scored renowned producer Dave Cobb, whose influence comes across most clearly on a surging song like “Candidate.” Listeners can almost hear the English folk-rock singer shaking out her hair in the studio while laying this lively one down. -Havens
Michaela Jae, “Something to Say”
FX’s Pose boasted an abundance of dancefloor-liberation deep cuts, so perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that when series star MJ Rodriguez announced her recording career as Michaela Jaé, she would arrive with a glorious, life-affirming slice of exuberance and attitude like “Something to Say.” And these Earth, Wind and Fire vibes aren’t a coincidence: The group’s Verdine White is a co-writer on this can’t-miss summer jam. -Joe Lynch
Trishes, “Big Sunglasses”
“Big Sunglasses,” the second single from Trishes’ upcoming album, is a thumping, swaggering dubstep-infused cut that boasts a mesmerizing groove and a provocative video, which finds the artist portraying all three participants in a Milgrim Experiment-esque scenario. Fitting psychological imagery for someone whose upcoming album is titled The Id. -Lynch
Kirby, “Break Her Heart for Me”
With vocal versatility and depth that brings to mind Macy Gray, Roc Nation singer-songwriter Kirby urges her lover to rip the Band-Aid off his current relationship and “Break Her Heart For Me.” You might feel bad for the other girl if this slinky, cooing morsel of funk wasn’t so damn irresistible. -Lynch
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